Deep Words -- Listening Deeply

You are so beautiful to me
You are so beautiful to me
Can't you see You're everything I hoped for
You're everything I need
You are so beautiful to me

Such joy and happiness you bring
Such joy and happiness you bring
Like a dream A guiding light that shines in the night
Heavens gift to me
You are so beautiful to me

Deep and powerful words...almost more than is possible to soak in...Zeph. 3:17...singing over us with joy...a dream....a light....a gift...beyond compare.

Maybe it's time to "Live like you were dying"

And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin'

Amazing grace indeed...he did so we can...

Pursuing the dream...amazed by journey...embracing each moment.

Amazed...

Standing amazed...
God's grace, God's gifts of people in the journey, God's timing in bringing the dream to reality...standing amazed....

Eph 3:20 exceeding more than I could hope or dream...or imagine...is becoming a reality amazing...if I had taken detours along the way I would have missed the journey...the God-designed present...the sacred dance with joy and laughter...the heart dance of freedom and purpose...the partnership at multiple levels...

amazed,
overwhelmed,
alive.

Grateful...blessed...engaging the dream with abandon...in His time he makes ALL things beautiful...

Wasn't seeking...wasn't striving...wasn't trying...yet the doors swing open...wide open...

I want to dance in the waters,
soak in the river,
ride the waves...

celebrate the minutes...
breathe deeply each moment...
Treasure the the seconds...



Amazed...grace...love...freedom...focus...purpose...

Deep Listening to the Spirit

We all have a teacher...

the

question is who is teaching us? Thankful that the Word instructs us (1 Tim 2:16) so we can not only think but act different because of the Spirit (teacher) in us.

If the Gospel is to be real, how am I showing (living) that it is?

If the church doesn't love people who will?

If the church doesn't serve people who will?

If the church doesn't accept us who will? Something will fill the void.

If the church doesn't teach God's plan for our relationships who will?
If the church doesn't open the Bible and call people to live in scriptural holiness, who will?
If the church doesn't bring God's instruction to people, who will?

I thank God for the scriptures He give us, lest we think no differently than the people of this world think.

1 Corinthians 2:9-13 It is just as the Scriptures say, "What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!" God's Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God's Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God's mind. But God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think. That's also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us. Every word we speak was taught to us by God's Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people.

Devotion

Devotion...

Nothing truly beautiful,

truly wonderful and

truly worthwhile was ever accomplished with half-hearted devotion and casual commitments.

It's hard to tell but the picture "Focus" has words for each letter-- Savior, Shepherd, Redeemer, King, Sacrifice, God, Jesus, -- one word sums up His focus on us -- DEVOTION.

Start today.

Lean into it.

Decide once and for all.

Build a beautiful life, a God-life.

Deuteronomy 30:9-10 - The Lord will be happy to do good things for you, just as he did for your ancestors. But you must decide once and for all to worship him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in The Book of God's Law.

Devotion...it starts with a step, it starts with a focus...it starts with embracing the journey and pursuing the dream...

Life Matters

Easter will be here...in just a few short days...and opportunity for new life. Jesus came that we might have LIFE, a NEW Life -- behold the old has passed the new has come; new creations...

What kind of life will we choose?

You could lead a pleasant life.

Or, you could live a good life.

But what if....you could live a life of destiny?

Are you ready to begin living a life of purpose and passion?

Are you ready to discover your greatest gifts and then employ them in the service of something larger?

The key to getting from where we are to where we want to be is to take the first step on a journey...a journey of destiny.

You can continue to live your life as you have, or you can answer the call to adventure. It’s the call to take the journey of a lifetime - to come to the place where you finally understand your reason for being…or, you can forget you ever heard of such a crazy idea.

The choice is yours. Each day we choose.

Embracing the journey...

Is your Gospel getting bigger?

Been reading John Piper...he always challenges my heart and life...which I love!

Here's some thoughts...profoundly impacting if we live in it...

Seek to see and feel the gospel as bigger as years go by rather than smaller.

Our temptation is to think that the gospel is for beginners and then we go on to greater things. But the real challenge is to see the gospel as the greatest thing—and getting greater all the time.

The Gospel gets bigger when, in your heart,

grace gets bigger;

Christ gets greater;

his death gets more wonderful;

his resurrection gets more astonishing;

the work of the Spirit gets mightier;

the power of the gospel gets more pervasive;

its global extent gets wider;

your own sin gets uglier;

the devil gets more evil;

the gospel's roots in eternity go deeper;

its connections with everything in the Bible and in the world get stronger;

and the magnitude of its celebration in eternity gets louder.

So keep this in mind: Never let the gospel get smaller in your heart.
Pray that it won’t. Read solid books on it. Sing about it. Tell someone about it who is ignorant or unsure about it.

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel.... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Embracing the journey...

MVP

"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality." - Warren G. Bennis

Great leaders create the destiny and direction for their organization (church) that motivates their team to pursue the mission. Powerful visions galvanize groups and take them to new places and heights.

Just think about these:

Disney has a vision to put a smile on the face of every guest to make families smile.

FedEx had a vision for overnight, guaranteed next morning package delivery.

Dominoes had a vision to deliver quality, hot pizza to your door in 30 minutes or less or it's free.

Coke had a vision to have a refreshing beverage within the reach of every person around the world.

Microsoft had a vision to create beneficial software that would compel people to have a computer on every desk at work, home or school.

M.D. Anderson has a vision to make cancer history.

Your vision is your MVP ... Most Valuable Property

As leaders, we must realize that our vision has a cascading effect on everything else in our organization.

Cloudy visions foster blurred and confusing priorities, employees, and disappointing results.

Sharp visions foster clarity and powerful momentum.

Are we spending enough time creating and implementing our vision?

Pursuing His dream...embracing the journey

On Mission

Every believer is a missionary, no matter if we are in the middle of Guatemala or if we are grilling out with our neighbors.

The exciting part of living a life on mission is to see where God will take us and who we will meet.

We can all pray the old Franciscan prayer:

Lord, take me where you want me to go;

Let me meet who you want me to meet,

Tell me what you want me to say,

And then keep me out of the way. Amen.

Embracing the journey, pursuing His dream.

One Day

One day....we've all heard the phrase...one day, I'll get a round to it, one day, I'll slow down, one day, I'll go on a vacation, one day it will all work out and more. Perhaps, here's a fresh look at one day....that one day could be today as Mark Batterson has said.

A little two-word phrase in Scripture: one day.It's in I Samuel 14:1. It's the story of Jonathan climbing the cliff with his armor bearer and engaging the Philistines. That is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. One act of courage saves a nation. But have you ever noticed how the passage starts out with that little two-word phrase? One day.

It's almost the Bible equivalent to the classic movie line: once upon a time.It's hard to put into words, but I live my life with a profound sense of destiny. God orders my footsteps. If I believe anything, I believe that. And that fills me with holy anticipation. At any given moment, God can invade the reality of our lives and change everything.

So read through Acts and there is that little two-word phrase again: "One day about three o'clock in the afternoon, Cornelius had a vision."You never know when. You never know where. You never know how.But one day, God can invade the reality of your life and change everything. That is what happens to Cornelius. Of course, it doesn't just change his life. Those of us who are not Jewish trace our spiritual lineage back to this vision on this day. If it weren't for this vision at three o'clock one day, the message of the gospel would have remained a Jewish thing. This vision at this time on this day bridged the racial divide. Whosoever will may come!One day.

Today could be that one day! It might not be. But it could be. May you be filled with holy anticipation knowing that at any given moment God can invade the reality of your life and change everything.

Embracing the journey,

If you are cruising through Orlando on I-4 you can look out the window to see this sign.

If you think about it, you might say what? When you exit this highway you can make your way to either of two destinations; you can travel to the Mall at Millenia or you can experience the Holy Land. Talk about options!

At one you get the attention of normal people acting as if they think you are important.

At the other you get the attention of actors who actually think you are important.

At one you may spend money you don’t have, to get things you don’t need, to impress people you don’t even know or like.

At the other you give the time you have, to get the faith you need, to love people you don’t yet even know.

At one you give so you can get. At the other you get so you can give.
This sign is so clarifying. It makes the options in life obvious to us all.

One thing is apparent. If you turn your feet one direction, and take steps that way, you’ll end up at a different place than if you turn your feet the other direction and walk that way!

For each of us, we must ask which way we will decide to go? The choice is yours...the choice is mine...everyday we make the choice.

Psalm 25:8-10 - God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction. He gives the rejects his hand, And leads them step-by-step. From now on every road you travel Will take you to God. Follow the Covenant signs.

Embracing the journey, seeking to make wise choices...that serve others and point them to Him.

Trust His Timing

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 from Marc Batterson @ evotional.com -- Great truths to remember and embrace -- He is faithful trust His timing -- He will make the path clear.


Time is relative.

What I mean by that is this: the way we experience it is subjective. It depends on what you're doing. Ever been on a date with someone you love? Time flies. Ever been on a date with someone you didn't like? Speed dating isn't fast enough.The way we experience time also depends on how old we are. If you're six years-old, summer break is 4% of you life. If you're twenty-five, it's 1%. If you're fifty, it's .5%. The older you get, the faster time seems to fly because relatively speaking it becomes a smaller and smaller fraction of your life! By the way, that is why when you were a kid, a two-hour trip in the car seemed like an eternity because relatively speaking, it was much longer for you than the adult who was driving!So what?

Well, I think most of us have a hard time handling a bad day. We have a very low threshold for circumstantial uncertainty or spiritual discontinuity. We need answers. And we need them now. I would suggest that we need some biblical perspective. When we look at our lives through the lens of Scripture, our perspective on time changes.We have a hard waiting for God to fulfill His promise. But what about Abraham and Sarah? They had to wait 15 years before Isaac was born. We have a hard time suffering for a season. But what about the invalid in John 5 who was in that condition for 38 years. And that's when the average lifespan was 20-30. We have a hard time waiting for God to make sense of our circumstances. But what about Joseph? He was a slave and a prisoner for 17 years before becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. Or Moses? He was a fugitive for 40 years! And we have a hard time waiting to fulfill our calling. But even Jesus didn't transition from carpentry to ministry til he was 30.

We need to zoom out and get some biblical perspective. We think in days. But we might need to think in years. Here's what I know for sure: those that God wants to use the most have to go through the longest season of preparation. You might have to struggle a little bit longer so you can learn some more lessons or develop some more character. You might need to suffer a little bit longer so God can reveal a little bit more of His glory in your life!

What I'm getting at is this: trust His timing. He is never early. He is never late. As we grow spiritually, I think we take a different perspective on time. It's less about chronos--time. It's more about kairos--timing. And for the record, He is far more concerned about who you're becoming in the process than when you arrive at your destination. Maybe you need to quit praying for deliverance and start praying for revelation.

One last thought from Acts 1: "You don't get to the know the time. Timing is the Father's business."Not much has changed has it?

Embracing the journey...

When Plans seem to fail

In Isaiah, we read that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts; His understanding is beyond ours. We're also told a man makes plans the Lord directs His steps.

Plans are important for if we aim at nothing (no plan), we may hit it every time.

However, sometimes our best laid plans fail. Circumstances change, new information arises and what we had planned to do, we can’t do.

So, what do we do then? We could tap in to the "do nothing strategy" or

Maybe what we should do is pray Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer.

It goes like this…

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen."

Embracing the journey,

Perspective

Perspective makes a huge difference. I wonder what would happen if we shared the "why" behind the "what" more often. How would it impact our relationships, our teams, our churches, and our impact?

We've all seen the common bathroom that is shared by many stores in a mall or at the gas station where you have to ask for the key. Well...here's one story...

Recently, someone started locking the communal bathroom, and a sign was scotch-taped to the door. In that inimitable management-font-style, the sign read: “THE BATHROOMS HAVE BEEN LOCKED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.”

Well, no. In most civilizations, it is considered more convenient to simply push open the door than to request a key from the overworked barrista. But no matter.

One day, a friend asked one of the barristas what gives with the locked bathroom, and she said, “We had to lock it because a crazy homeless man was smearing his feces on the wall, and the janitor threatened to quit.”

OK, that gives us a dramatically more favorable attitude toward the lockup. And it may make us wonder — isn’t there something to be said for the cold, hard, gross truth: “THE BATHROOMS HAVE BEEN LOCKED TO KEEP THE CRAZY, FECES-SMEARING HOMELESS GUY OUT. SO WE KNOW IT’S A HASSLE FOR YOU TO GET THE KEY, BUT JEEZ, THINK ABOUT THE JANITOR.”

Stories aside, perhaps there’s a communication moral buried in here. By keeping people at arm’s length from the real issue, the management allows them to jump to false conclusions. (we assume that the landlord was trying to keep non-paying customers from using the facilities, and we may fume about how petty that would be.)

Wouldn’t our audience understand us better, and feel more empathy for us, if our instinct was to give them a glimpse of our reality rather than try to obscure it?

It's all a matter of perspective. We've all heard "don't judge a book by its cover" or "walk a mile in their shoes." I wonder how you can share a glimpse of reality, the "why" behind the "what". I wonder what difference it might make in the journey.

Embracing the journey, pursuing the dream...

COD - Essence

Defining Essence:

What is the bottom line? What's the essence of your mission? How are non-essentials adding complexity and weight, bogging down the journey?

Defining Essence can bring clarity.

Concentration by elimination can be a beneficial solution bringing clarity of a laser-like focus.

When we define essence, we might think about C.O.D. When we get a package C.O.D. -- there are limitations, boundaries, and requirements; we must have cash on delivery- period.

As you define essence, perhaps considering the following C.O.D.'s would help:

Cost, Opportunities, Deliverables
Conversions, Outcomes, Destinies
Conseqences, Options, Decision-making
Cause, Outreach, Distinction
Christ, Others, Dreams

"By setting limitations we must choose the essential. So in everything you do learn to set limitations." Leo Babauta (The Power of Less, 2009).

Limitations help define essence.

Embracing the journey...

Who Are You?

Unlocking your one “must do” for God is better than finding the National Treasure. Only then can you unleash your vision for ministry with white-water force. - Will Mancini

Knowing who we are is the important first step in unlocking our "must do" in life. It's part of the God-design -- our wiring, our personality, our passion, and our purpose are all linked to "who" we are.

You don't have to take my word -- it's in the Word, John 13. Jesus knowing that He had all things under his authority, knowing He had come from God and was returning to God -- humbled himself and washed the feet of others (served). Knowing who He was, his passion, his purpose, his destiny -- he unlocked the one "must do" the cross, that which only He could do. He must serve all mankind as the sacrificial Lamb and he did it with white-water force, with passion, with resolute resolve; being secure in who he was He fulfilled the mission completely.

Henry Ford said that basic human problem is trying to do too many things at once. Jesus said, "I have come to fulfill the will of the Father" -- translation my purpose, my created destiny; the same is true for us -- we must know who we are to fulfill our destiny.

Embracing the journey, pursuing the dream.

Join the Legacy - You can make a difference

Catalyst Resources exists to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give water to the thirsty.


I have the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors with Catalyst Resources International (http://www.catalystresources.net/)



Orphan Ministry Update...


Mark 10:13-15 (The Message)The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and Me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, You'll never get in:" Then, gathering the children up in His arms, He laid His hands of blessing on them.


Last month we began sharing with you the need for orphan care in Guatemala (over 350,000 children who need help) and our proposed solution to begin meeting that need. The initial property that we are seeking to purchase is available at a cost of $350,000.

We are now awaiting final approval for our new non-profit organization-Catalyst Resources International. Catalyst is lead by a USA board of directors and a General Assembly in Guatemala that is comprised of folks from the US and Guatemala. The proposed property will be owned by the corporation and under the leadership of the board of directors.



In order to fund this purchase, we are proposing to add to the entry area a display that will consist of 350 tiles. The tiles will be displayed as a permanent fixture to the property to commemorate the sacrificial gift of each donor.


Would you prayerfully consider committing to purchase one or more tiles at a cost of $1,000 each? This maybe paid in a lump sum or over a 24 month period.

In addition to allowing us to pursue the establishment of Mimi's House, this property will also be used as our team house and ministry center office. It will become the hub of operations that will facilitate the on-going work of ministry in Guatemala for years to come. Our areas of outreach will seek to continue to be a "catalyst" to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give water to the thirsty, all in the name of Jesus.


After prayerful consideration, our family will initiate this this campaign fund by committing to donate $2,000 toward the purchase of 2 tiles. One will be in the name of our family and the other in memory of Paula's grandmother-Mimi. That leaves 348 tiles that are available for others to contribute toward. Will you join us by praying about this opportunity? Could you purchase one or more tiles to support this project?


Ultimately, it is about much more than land or a building...this is about the opportunity to reach out to the poor and broken lives that exist in Guatemala.In our next month's newsletter, we will provide details on how to go about supporting this project and purchasing tiles through Catalyst Resources International.


To be continued...


Trusting the One who is able,
Fontaine & Paula (Missionaries for Catalyst Resources in Guatemala).


Embracing the journey ~ Pursing the Dream to Live a LEGACY.

History in the making

At this juncture in the divine timeline...many would say that "history is being made" and it is. Not only with a new president but each and every day with the stories we write with our lives.

Interestingly, we can criticize or we can join the race - so that others might know. Paul challenges us to be "doers not merely hearers"

Theodore Roosevelt said it this way:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without effort or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with these cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” (1910)

CHEERS to “the doer, not the mere critic- the man who actually does the work, even if roughly and imperfectly, not the man who only talks or writes about how it ought to be done” (Roosevelt, 1891). For, “Criticism is necessary and useful; it is often indispensable; but it can never take the place of action, or be even a poor substitute for it. The function of the mere critic is of very subordinate usefulness. It is the doer of deeds who actually counts in the battle for life, and not the man who looks on and says how the fight ought to be fought, without himself sharing the stress and the danger.” (Roosevelt, 1894)

We may not always get it right but we can steady on...1 Cor 15:58.

Embracing the journey...

Wisdom

We need wisdom from God. The consequence of foolish leadership can be most severe; leadership without wisdom is empty. We need wisdom to hear the voice of God, wisdom in timing, wisdom in speaking, wisdom in living; we need wisdom.

Deut. 4:5-6 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

Jeremiah 10:21 - The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord. Therefore, they fail completely, and their flocks are scattered.

2 Chronicles 1:10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

Psalm 51:6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

Proverbs 16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Let's gain wisdom as we embrace the journey...pursuing the dream

Beauty of Math

I always loved math growing up…the music in the numbers…the systemic nature of mathematical realities….Here’s an added reality:

Beauty of Math!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it? And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...101% What could it look like?

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

If A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
is represented numerically as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K is
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E is
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E is
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D is
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there; it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Now that’s the beauty of math!

Embracing the journey...pursuing the dream.

Becoming a Student (expert) of the Word

If it takes 10000 hours to become an expert; I wonder what lives would look like if we spent that 10000 reading the Word -- becoming an expert on the love of God, the heart of a servant, the life of one who would give his all for us. It's a challenging thought...

Maybe the first step would be to read through the Bible in 2009.

If you need a place to get started, you can follow the reading plan on YouVersion. It’s extremely convenient since you can read the Bible for free from an iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, web-enabled phone, or any computer connected to the Internet.

Can't wait to see the changes in 2009...Keep your fork...the best is yet to come.

Pursuing the dream...embracing the journey.

Back on Track

Back from holiday blogging break; we all need time out to chill, to laugh, to play, to think and reflect on another day -- with the start of a new year --- rather than reflect, how about we proflect (new word). What do we want the days ahead to look like; where do we want to be in a year? What is the legacy we want to leave? Where do we want to become an expert?

Malcolm Gladwell's new book, Outliers has many interesting insights. Basically, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything! It doesn't matter whether it's athletics or academics. According to Gladwell, there are no "naturals." You have to put in the time. Generally speaking, the only difference between an elite person in any field and everybody else is usually a few thousand hours of practice time.

Amazing thoughts/reality to ponder. Anybody can become an expert in just about anything. Obviously, you need a baseline of talent if you're talking about music or sports, but you can accumulate knowledge and become an expert.

So here's the question: what do you want to become an expert in? Gladwell says, "Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness."

Pursuing the dream...embracing the journey...